Aerial view of Nord (November 2023)-0102, 2023
Nord’s story
155 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2023 and 4 maps from 1912 on.
- 1871Nord is settled
NordCA
The town was settled in 1871 and has 190 residents today.
Photo: Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
190
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$369K
Census ACS
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
70.1
years
Jobs based here
94
A commuter town
Is Nord a good place to live?
58% of residents are 65 or older in Nord, where California’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 18%. No town among the 848 in California we compare has a higher home-ownership rate than Nord. Nord has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
190 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Nord: who provides what
Nord is unincorporated, so Butte County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesButte CountyButte County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereButte County ElectionsButte County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code9597395973 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Nord.
Schools
The schools Nord’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Nord’s only public school teaches 213 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nord CountryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 213 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Nord faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by drought
The natural-hazard score from FEMA in Nord is 87 of 100. Expected losses in Nord break down as 46% from drought and 36% from inland flooding.
87risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
More than half of Nord’s working residents commute to Chico
For half of commuters, work is under 8 miles away. Employers in Nord added 60 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 94. The top destinations are Chico (58%), Yuba City (5%) and Orland (2%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Nord0%
Chico58%
Yuba City5%
Orland2%
Manteca2%
8 mi
median commute distance
94
jobs based in Nord
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers: that is Nord’s year
July afternoons reach 96°, January nights drop to 39° and snow is almost unheard of.
96°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–58°
Spring48–74°
Summer62–94°
Fall50–79°
Nov 17
typical first frost
Mar 4
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Nord is
Among adults in Nord, 28% have obesity and 75% had a checkup this year. Against the California average, Nord comes out ahead on 10 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 3. Nord: 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Nord | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 29% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 72% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 11% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
10 better19 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Nord | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.2% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.4% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.5% | 6.4% |
Enloe Health
6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 9 attractions →Oroville Dam and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Nord. Close and well known come first.
30 mi DamOroville Dam
39 mi MountainSutter Buttes
9 mi Park & preserveBidwell Park
6 mi MuseumChico Air Museum
6 mi MuseumMuseum of Northern California ArtSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Oroville Dam: California Department of Water Resources, Public domain · Sutter Buttes: Expedition 32 crew/NASA, Public domain · Bidwell Park: Saopaulo1 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chico Air Museum: Bsudicky, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Museum of Northern California Art: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nord
16pages on Nord
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Nord
Cal Northern School of LawUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Chico6.1 miCalifornia State University-ChicoUniversity or college · Public · Chico6.6 mi$8,472 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Nord residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Nord for work
Where Nord’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
94jobs based in Nord
0%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Nord
Census-designated place in California, United States
Nord is a census-designated place in Butte County, California, United States. Its zip code is 95973 and its area code is 530. It lies at an elevation of 151 feet (46 m). Nord's population was 286 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 151 ft
- Area code
- 530
Questions about Nord
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nord, CA a good place to live?
Nord has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.